


Mycroft and Mina Go To The Zoo

by Mary_Jane221B



Series: I Would Give You All of Me [4]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M, Parentlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-26 23:17:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5024464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mary_Jane221B/pseuds/Mary_Jane221B
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mycroft and Mina go to the zoo. It's pretty adorable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little two chapter bridging fic. 
> 
> In terms of the timeline it occurs after the start of the sequel of All of Me so I suppose there are very minor spoilers ahead but nothing that would ruin upcoming plot points I promise. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this little flavour of the future. 
> 
> The second part will be up by Wednesday. 
> 
> smooches 
> 
> MJ x

“Swinging through the tree tops, who do I see? I see a cheeky monkey hanging in a tree…”

Mycroft sat behind his desk with Mina balanced on his lap. He was attempting to simultaneously entertain his niece and monitor John and Mrs. Hudson on their first expedition back to Baker Street since they’d announced Sherlock’s innocence. As predicted a small number of paparazzi had been in place to ambush the pair as they had exited the car. They were getting their information over social media; the hash tag ‘I believe in Sherlock Holmes’ and ‘Justice for Sherlock’ had trended on every major site when the Met made their announcement. His brother’s popularity only grew and Mycroft was becoming immune to seeing his face plastered over newspapers.

The pair had stopped at the cemetery on route so they could spend a little time with Sherlock before his birthday. Mycroft and his parents would visit on the day. So far they had kept the location of Sherlock’s grave from the public who had instead set up a sort of shrine around a phone box near Saint Barts. 

Mycroft cringed to see John shielding the older woman as they tried to make it past the barrage of flashing lights quickly.

“More Mymy,” Mina said as she lifted the flap contained on this page; unsurprisingly it showed a monkey swinging through some trees. The story was unimaginative but colourful and rhythmic in its writing.

“Yes Mina, I apologise.”

“Who dat?” Mina pointed to the only human in the next picture.

“That is the zoo keeper; he keeps all of the animals that live in his zoo safe and happy,” Mycroft explained, deciding the leave out the myriad of examples he had where zoos had been used as a front for organised crime. He was sure plenty of zoo keepers were friendly sorts.

“True?” she asked pointing at the book again. The illustration on this page showed the penguin enclosure; little boys and girls lined up behind the stone walls peering down into the faux ice and water display where the penguins waddled and played.

“Yes Mina, it’s a real place. London Zoo; these animals all live there, the monkeys, penguins and lions.”

Mina did her lion impression and Mycroft grinned down at her. Mina’s confidence had come on beyond belief in the six months since Greg had found her.

“At zoo.”

“Yes, they live at the zoo.”

“Mine?”

“Yes, the book is yours,” Mycroft said slightly confused when Mina glared up at him.

“No Mymy, zoo.”

“What about the zoo?” Mycroft asked. Mina sighed in response as if his slowness was a personal affront to her. Her expression was a perfect mirror of the ones he remembered Sherlock wearing in his youth.

“Zoo mine.”

Mycroft tilted his head and considered the words trying to discern their meaning.

“Do you mean that you want the zoo to be yours?”

“Yes. Want.” Mina made the loud roaring noise again. Mycroft was certain she could name the animal but knew his niece had inherited Sherlock’s penchant for drama.

“You want a lion? I don’t think one would fit into your house darling, and besides they live at the zoo.”

Mina was put off by the denial. It was true that there was little she had ever asked for or hinted at wanting that had not appeared immediately or within a few hours. Mycroft thought vaguely that it was possible he was spoiling the little girl but was that not one of his rights as an uncle to dote on his niece?

“No zoo?” Mina’s voice trembled as she looked up at him, her eyes shining.

“Oh Mina please don’t cry. People visit the zoo, sweetheart, they don’t own it.”

“Wizit My?” The letter ‘V’ was something she still struggled, with Mycroft noted.

“Yes darling, we could go one day and you could meet all the animals,” Mycroft promised and Mina’s eyes lit up, tears forgotten.

“Now,” Mina declared, attempting to scramble off Mycroft’s lap. He saved her the fall and placed her on her feet, watching her totter off toward the blanket John had set up, covered in toys and Mina’s colourful picture books, before he left with Mrs. Hudson. Mina dropped down and started piling a random sample of toys in front of her. “Mymy now.”

“Mina we can’t go today.”

She looked up shocked momentarily before going back to constructing her pile of toys. “Yes Mymy.”

That was how the standoff started, Mycroft standing over his niece in his three piece suit doing everything to infuse a small amount of the ‘Ice Man’ into his voice while telling her in no uncertain terms that they would not be going to the zoo today.

It would be fair to say that he lost dramatically. Mina had called upon all of her Sherlockian genes to defeat him with a combination of tears, tantrums and a frankly adorable pout; her lip had trembled while she said ‘pwese’ rather wetly. Mycroft had given in, calling Anthea in while he soothed Mina with nonsense words and promises of an afternoon full of monkeys and penguins.

“Anthea, we need to organise a security team.”

“Who for sir?”

“For me and Mina, we’re going to the zoo.”

Anthea glanced up, taking note of her superior’s panicked expression and the tear stained smile the youngest Holmes was wearing. She cringed as the youngster pressed her slightly snotty nose against what she knew was a bespoke Savile Row creation.

“Did you say the zoo sir?” Mycroft nodded looking slightly terrified at the prospect of an afternoon surrounded by high numbers of the general public in particular children. Granted, it was early January and the temperature had taken a tumble the week before, but the place would still be packed on a Saturday afternoon.

“Might I suggest you invite Detective Inspector Lestrade, sir? I believe his restrictions are still in place. You would likely be liberating him from paper work.”

Mycroft considered pacing Mina between the blanket and the French doors that lead to the garden.

“Do you think he would want to though? I mean he might not like the zoo.”

“Sir.” Anthea’s sigh was obviously exacerbated.

“Right, right, yes, of course. I should call him, invite him.”

Mina pushed off Mycroft’s chest looking up at him. “Zoo now?”

“I, yes, Mina, we’re going to the zoo but I thought we might invite Gregory. Do you remember mine and Daddy’s friend?” Mina gave him the same baleful glare she had worn during what would come to be known as ‘The Great Zoo Standoff’. It was true that Mina had seen Greg this morning, over breakfast, wearing Mycroft’s dressing gown.

Mycroft lost himself in the memories of last night’s murmured seductions, soft embraces and breathy exclamations of climax. He felt Greg’s lips biting down to leave the dark red mark that still adorned his neck, currently hidden from view by his Windsor knot.

“Yes,” Mycroft muttered.

“Sir?” Anthea asked, raising an amused eyebrow. “Are you feeling alright, you’re a little pink?”

Mycroft shook himself slightly.

Placing Mina back on her blanket he said, “Mina why don’t you pick some toys and put them in your bumble bee backpack.”

Mina considered him, clearly thinking he had gone a little mad but happy enough to be getting her way. She considered her pile of toys seriously while Anthea smiled and passed across her backpack.

“Here you are little Mina.”

Mina looked up, still slightly uncertain of Anthea, smiling shyly before taking the bumble bee between her hands.

“What do you say Mina?” Mycroft asked automatically, his mind occupied by the best way to contact Greg so he maintained the other man’s free will. It was important he knew he could say no, Mycroft thought. They had recently had a number of conversations about Mycroft’s ‘hovering’, ‘obsession with security’ and ‘alarmingly sexy power complex’. Mycroft had grinned smugly at the last one before pouncing on his silver fox with more enthusiasm than he had ever experienced at four o’clock on a Sunday.

“Ta Anth.” Good enough, Mycroft thought, Anthea clearly agreeing by her gleeful expression.

“Oh you’re so clever, little one,” Anthea said, and Mina shone under the praise.

“Yes,” She agreed seriously, as if to say any other conclusion would have been a fallacy.

“Should you not be organising something?” Mycroft asked, amused at his deputy’s fascination with Mina’s organisational technique, if she could discern it, Mycroft thought.

“I imagine so Sir, after all we are going to the zoo.” Mina clapped with her glee at Anthea’s pronouncement.

It turned out that Greg required little convincing: apparently the idea of an afternoon at the zoo with Mycroft and Mina was a wonderful idea.

“You’ve brightened up my Saturday no end love.” Mycroft had flushed at the last and was glad the only person witnessing it was his oblivious niece.

John called while Mycroft was attempting to wrangle a mildly flailing Mina into her car seat.

“Hello John,” Mycroft said holding his mobile between ear and shoulder before letting out a soft grunt as Mina’s smart leather boot connected with his chest.

“Hello Mycroft, I wanted to check in and make sure Mina was behaving herself.”

“Mina is well, I am just checking on her car seat straps.”

“Car seat? Are you heading out?” John asked, shocked.

“Yes, Mina wanted to go to the zoo. So now we are.”

 There was a pause and then John’s laughter filled the phone.

“Oh she’s got you wrapped around her little finger,” John said.

Mycroft bristled slightly but the smile Mina was wearing while she told her stuffed cat about their trip melted his heart a little.

“Perhaps. In any case, we are heading to London Zoo for the afternoon.” Having climbed into the front seat Mycroft dropped the volume of his voice as to not disturb Mina’s happy chattering. “I saw what happened this morning, John. Are you and Mrs. Hudson alright?”

John sighed deeply, the humour having not entirely left his tone yet. “It wasn’t the nicest of experiences but it’s good to be in Baker Street again, and to be fair it was nothing like as bad as the run in with my mother.” Mycroft shuddered at the memory of the whiskey-soaked woman’s appearance. “Mrs. Hudson has been flitting around collecting all of the things she wants for Sherlock’s birthday cake. Are your parents going to be alright with that? She’s got her heart set on making that dark chocolate one he liked; I don’t know how to tell her she might not be able to.”

Mycroft sighed. John’s concern was born out of a place of respect, he knew. His mother had not exactly warmed to Mrs. Hudson during their Christmas visit. Mina was so cautious around his parents, withdrawn almost, and Mycroft knew it had hurt his mother to see Mina being so free with another woman, one she called ‘Ma’.

“John, my parents are a complicated pair and their relationship with Sherlock was anything but simple. You know all of this. It will likely not shock you that my mother never made birthday cakes, she never baked full stop.” Mycroft considered his next words carefully. “I think Mrs. Hudson making a cake is a wonderful idea and something Mina can enjoy as well. It would be a tradition and something that might create a bond between her and Sherlock’s memory, something more concrete than photographs or our stories.”

Mycroft gave John the standard moment to collect himself that he had calculated was required after a mention of his brother.

“Did they mention Mina?” Mycroft asked to change the subject.

“No there was nothing about her. It was all about Sherlock and how I felt. Did I love him, did I miss him, was I going to continue helping the Met, like I’d have a single clue how to solve a bloody murder.” Personally Mycroft thought John would be able to adapt to anything he turned his hand to, but he was so far determined to return to practicing medicine on a locum basis. Mycroft had consented and even watched Mina while John had taken his first shift. The security risk had been judged to be contained when word reached them that Moran was travelling to Russia in order to counteract the still unidentified threat that was taking down the network with increased momentum.

“There has been no noise through the agencies either.”

“That’s good news right?” John asked.

“That would be my interpretation. I would still prefer for you to stay at the Manor until the security systems for Baker Street have been perfected.”

“I would agree. Is Greg coming as well?” Listening to John’s innuendo filled voice Mycroft wondered at his brother ever considering the blonde charming. “To the zoo, I mean.”

“Yes, he will meet us there. Did you want to come?”

John took a moment to consider and Mycroft glanced in the back to check on Mina, who was entertaining herself quietly by flipping through the zoo book they had been reading earlier. Sherlock had started reading independently at three; Mycroft wondered if Mina would be the same, she adored books and stories already.

“I don’t think so Mycroft. The photographers are still outside and I would prefer not to lead them anywhere near Mina. Besides she’ll have you and Greg, that’s plenty of people to spoil her. Try to remember she already owns enough toys though.”

Mycroft agreed and ended the call, turning to Mina to tell her they would see Daddy for dinner at the Manor. She smiled happily at the mention of John and then demanded juice which Mycroft quickly provided. The rest of the journey passed in silence; Mina occupied with her drink and book while Mycroft conducted global politics from his tablet.

Greg waited for them, propped against a walkway barrier chatting animatedly with one of the agents that had accompanied him to the office this morning. Greg managed to look roguish in his sunglasses and crooked tie. The dazzling smile was enough for Mycroft to lose himself in memories once again but Mina commenced a shouting campaign of gleeful recitations of the words ‘zoo’ and ‘Rory’  which proved sufficiently distracting to keep Mycroft’s mind out of the gutter.

“Hello handsome,” Greg called, pushing off the fence when Mycroft climbed out of the car.

“I could say the same to you, Detective Inspector, but I believe my niece is nearing the end of her patience,” and as if on cue Mina threw her book at the car window to get their attention.

Greg laughed before swooping to extract Mina from her car seat. She shrieked with glee at Greg’s appearance and the subsequent tickle he delivered while freeing her from her safety prison.

“Uncka Rory!” She sang sweetly wrapping her arms around his neck and kicking her feet through the air.

“Watch for the feet,” Mycroft whispered in his lover’s ear, “she’s small but she can kick.”

Greg laughed warmly before smothering Mina in kisses. This brought on another round of shrieking laughter from the little girl. Mycroft had not seen her this excited in, well, perhaps ever. It warmed his heart how closely Mina had embraced the man and how he in turn had insinuated himself so thoroughly in their lives.

“So what’s the plan, little Dove? Now that you’ve been liberated from Uncle Mycroft’s castle.”

Mycroft scowled at Greg’s teasing words.

“Zoo!” Mina screamed, turning to look at the brightly coloured entrance.

“Yes! The zoo but what else, hmmm? What do you think we will see? Monkeys? Lions? Tigers and penguins? Shall we have snacks? I think so. I for one would love some coffee.”

Mina pulled a face in disgust; she had dipped her fingers into John’s coffee only two days ago, tasting it and declaring it horrible.

“Alright let’s get this show on the road princess, does Uncle Mycroft have your buggy or are you walking?”

“Hug Rory.”

“Alright I’ll carry you for now but we should probably take the buggy for when everyone gets a little tired. Agreed?” Greg asked holding out his hand for Mina to shake. She slapped her hand against it instead, giggling wildly at her cleverness while Mycroft wrestled the pushchair into submission. Anthea, now wearing jeans and a t-shirt, looked on with poorly disguised mirth and Mycroft considered what would constitute a worthy punishment; secondment in Antarctica perhaps or something more devilish, blocking the internet connection to her house seemed like a good starting point.

They traversed the Gorilla Kingdom first, Mina and Greg providing the soundtrack of animal noises whenever Mina recognised one. Mycroft crouched down behind her when they made it into the aquarium. They watched stingrays hug the sides of the underwater tunnel, their underbellies seeming to smile. Mycroft would always claim he was entirely unaware that Greg had been snapping photos constantly of the two of them bathed in shimmering blue light while Mycroft explained the genus of individual fish. They helped her examine the touch pool, Greg supporting her so she could reach out and stroke a finger gently across an anemone watching with fascination as it curled in on itself.

She pointed out those she knew again and was delighted when they found the clown fish.

”Nemo!” she shouted, letting go of her grip on both their hands when moments before she had been swinging happily. It was too tall for her to see in clearly but she stood on the tips of her toes, open mouthed as the small orange and white swam between coral and plucked pebbles from the bottom of the tank.

“Unka Rory, it Nemo.”

“You’re right it is, little Dove, do you want to come up and see them more clearly?” Greg asked.

“Up now.”

“Say please Mina,” Mycroft warned and earned himself a small glare from the little girl.

 “Pweaze Rory,” she said, batting her eyelashes at him grandly. Gregory just shook his head and picked Mina up to rest on his hip.

“They’re so small, aren’t they Mina.”

“Cute.”

“Yes you’re right, they are.”

They wandered through the exhibits, Mina reaching out to tap the glass on the jellyfish as they bobbed through the water, their tentacles swaying in the non-existent current.

“Are you hungry poppet?” Mycroft asked as they re-entered the winter sunshine, Mina strapped back into her pushchair and yawning broadly.

“I sure am love muffin,” Greg answered with a wink.

“Oh do you think you’re amusing Mr. Lestrade?” Mycroft asked, handing over control of the pushchair to Anthea who took it in the direction of the nearest exhibit, speaking to Mina as she did so.

“I’m hilarious Mr. Holmes, didn’t you know?” Greg said sauntering toward him, his light trench coat fluttering in the breeze.

“I don’t know that I would agree; only a fool would call me ‘love muffin’ and expect to survive.”

“Oh really,” Greg asked before dropping his voice to a seductive whisper that had shivers running down Mycroft’s spine. “What are you going to do to me?”  Gregory asked as he reached out to pull Mycroft closer by his belt loops.

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Will it be naughty?”

“Very.”  Mycroft laced his voice with unspoken promises.

“Then I wait at your pleasure Mr. Holmes.” Mycroft tilted toward his intending to take a kiss as his due.

 “Mymy!” Mina called from behind him. Mycroft turned sharply the volume of her call started a throb of adrenaline in him.

Mina had turned herself so she was half out of the pushchair facing Mycroft.

“Look Mymy!” she called pointing up at the giraffe striding across the paddock in front of her.

Mycroft smiled through the lasting tang of panic. The look one of the mothers walking past gave him bordered on scared, so he deduced that he had failed in his aim for nonchalance.

“Breathe, Myc, there’s nothing threatening here,” Greg whispered in his ear. Mycroft repressed his flinch when he felt the tight arm wrap around his back.

Greg led him forward making appropriately impressed noises when Mina pointed up to the giraffe with undisguised awe.

“Name?”

“It’s a giraffe Mina, that’s a difficult word though; would you like me to do the sounds?” Greg asked crouching down to talk to Mina at her level.

“No Rory, it ‘raf”

“Oh that’s clever sweetie, shall we try the first part.”

Mina seemed uninterested in this, muttering ‘raf’ under her voice reverently.

“I don’t think Miss. Mina is too bothered about her sounds today,” Anthea said slightly smugly “Besides the giraffe’s name is Savannah. Do you like that word Mina?” Mina looked up and considered Anthea’s profile leaning over the roof of her pushchair, she then looked back to the enclosure and declared each of the three they could see to be a ‘raf’. It was close enough for Mycroft.

“What shall we see now Mina?” Mycroft asked.

“Pengwings!” she declared practically bouncing out of her pushchair. She and Mycroft had been practicing that word while they read winter stories; Mina had a fascination with snow, having never seen it before their Christmas adventure. She would point at any book with it on the cover and demand to read it at once. If anyone asked Mycroft he would deny fervently that he had deliberately purchased multiple books on the Arctic Circle over the last month and they had just happened to be left on the lower shelves in his library, no he had always owned those, definitely.

“Alright let’s go to the penguins,” Greg agreed, emphasising the correct pronunciation as he did so. He took over directing the pushchair which Mycroft would never object to; the picture of domesticity that his two favourite people created made his heart flip.

 Moreover the view from behind Greg was nothing to complain over; the man’s shoulders were a thing of beauty.  He could write sonnets about those shoulders. He might just try actually. Maybe he could write them on Greg’s shoulders; that would be a test of his self–control, certainly.

“Mr. Holmes.” Francis, the head of Mina’s details, started walking beside him. “I’m sorry sir, I know we weren’t supposed to approach.”

Mycroft waved his hand to communicate it wasn’t a problem, even if he felt his heart sinking. They were nearly at the penguin enclosure now. Mina was straining against the straps of her pushchair, clearly itching to get out and run as close as possible.

“It’s alright Francis, is anything the matter?”

“I’m not sure sir, there’s been a gentleman following us since the aquarium. I’ve had the home team scan his features through the databases but nothing is coming up.”

“Do you have a picture?” Mycroft asked, holding out his hand before Francis could answer. He accepted the smart phone and sneered down at the image it held. The focus was clear enough for him to get a basic deduction on the man. Enough to notice the misshapen bulge in his front right pocket. “He’s a photographer. He’s carrying a camera in his front right pocket. Have zoo security ask him to surrender it and check the contents. If there’s a picture of Mina on that device I want the man questioned and I want his licence revoked.”

“Yes sir,” Francis agreed before handing the device across to Anthea and walking to contact park security.

“Sir it doesn’t mean anything,” Anthea argued quietly.

The pair of them paused some distance from Mina and Greg, who had liberated the child from her constraints and was helping her see over the barrier to the creatures below. From this distance Mycroft failed discern their words but he could see their lips moving. He could also see Mina’s gasp of shock morph into the broadest smile he had ever seen his niece make when a penguin came right up to the barrier and squawked; perhaps at the indignity of being watched twenty four hours a day, Mycroft didn’t know. 

“Is there nothing we can do to keep her safe?” Mycroft asked more to himself than his deputy. The woman seemed to understand this because she took a minute before answering, a minute for Mycroft to regain some sense of balance over this situation.

“Mycroft she is safe,” Anthea said; Mycroft, slightly startled by the use of his first name, stayed silent. “She is potentially the most protected little girl in this country. Do you know how many agents have been following you today, how many members of your team volunteered to accompany you simply because they know how important her safety is to you? We’re surrounded right now by more bodyguards than normally accompany you to a peace time conference in the Middle East sir.”

“Do you know why you haven’t realised? Two reasons; one, we’re damn good at our jobs sir, you ensured that, and two, you’ve been so happy. They make you happy. Please don’t lose that because of one suspicious man with a camera. For all we know he’s a journalist trying to get some free shots of animals. But if not, if he’s a threat, then we’ve caught him and we’ll deal with him and no one, especially Mina, is any the wiser.”

Mycroft knew she was right. He looked up to see Mina clapping at the penguins, her cheeks and nose rosy from the winter chill. He saw Greg take note of this and unwind his scarf to wrap around her neck. Greg laughed when Mina buried her face in the cashmere material until only her eyes, almost identical to Sherlock’s, were visible glittering from under her two halo of curls.

“Will you tell me when zoo security has questioned him?” Mycroft asked.

“I’ll tell you if there’s danger sir, if not, well, anything else can wait until your evening briefing. Enjoy your family sir. You’ve waited long enough for them.”

Mycroft nodded his head and went to join Mina and Greg by the enclosure.

“Everything alright?” Greg asked, juggling Mina so he could look at Mycroft more clearly as he approached. Mycroft, for once, refused to over think. He lent up and pressed his lips softly against Greg’s. Both their noses were cold and there was a squirming child between them but to Mycroft it was perfect.

“Now it is,” Mycroft said, slightly short of breath, as he pulled away. He watched Greg blush and grinned up at his silver haired love.

“Darling Mina, what are we looking at?” Mycroft asked overly loud, sweeping Mina into his arms so she giggled wildly.

“Pengwings, Mymy, lots.”

“That’s right, clever girl,” Mycroft said, kissing her head through her mess of curls.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Greg and Mycroft reconnect and there's champagne.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final bit of this little story but there will be more in this series before the sequel. 
> 
> Thank you to my wonderful beta Ruby who keeps me on the straight and narrow in all things and thank you to each of you who are keeping up with Mina and this story. It means a great deal to me. 
> 
> Till next time, stay sweet everyone
> 
> MJ x

Later that night, long after Mina had surrendered to sleep, surrounded as she was by the myriad of cuddly toys both she and Mycroft had deemed entirely necessary, Greg and Mycroft laid close under the thin sheet Mycroft had covered their naked limbs with while they were intertwined.

“That was ridiculous,” Greg murmured, still trying, valiantly, to catch his breath, “That was the most ridiculously decadent sex I’ve ever had in my life. Seriously, Mycroft, where did you learn to do that thing with your tongue?!” he asked before panting out some half formed giggles and throwing his arm across his eyes.

“I don’t think that’s a serious question, Gregory, instead of answering I shall choose to do this.” Mycroft upended what was left of their champagne into Greg’s belly button before sucking it up with a wet popping sound. He rolled onto his back, his head resting on the older man’s stomach and lost himself in the gentle movements of his lover getting himself under control. No one Mycroft had ever known lost themselves in pleasure like Gregory Lestrade, the noises, the movements, the complete abandon with which he committed himself to with their every night together. Mycroft had never known anything like it, he had never felt anything like it. 

“I love you,” he said softly into their shared space. Cocooned as they were in their room, the air smelling distinctly like them, their pleasure, Mycroft felt safe sharing the words.

“I love you to Myc,” Greg said, grinning down at him.

Mycroft complained slightly as Greg shifted, propping himself up more so he could look down at Mycroft on resting on his stomach.

“You gonna tell me what happened today darling, or do I have to tickle it out of you?” Greg had perhaps discovered Mycroft’s most ticklish areas a week ago. It was a valiant threat as there was little Mycroft hated more than being tickled, thanks to Sherlock.

“There’s very little to tell, I promise.”

“Myc,” Greg muttered, “you’re deflecting.”

“I’m not sure how to explain the panic,” Mycroft confessed.

“You don’t need to explain that part hun,” Greg said, recommencing the movement of his fingers through the dishevelled mess of Mycroft’s hair.

“There was a man, Francis alerted me to his presence and I deduced that he had a camera.”

“Reporter?” Greg asked, the pressure of his fingers becoming firmer just as Mycroft preferred.

“That was my thought, I worried that he had come to get pictures of Mina.”

“Had he?”

“No, he wanted to talk to you, had planned to jump out when you walked back to your car.”

“What?” Greg asked, his voice dropping dangerously low. Mycroft sighed, this was why he had avoided the topic over dinner.

Greg shifted, trying to sit up more but Mycroft rolled over, pressing his face more firmly into Greg’s chest. He was certain he looked ridiculous but it worked and Greg stopped fidgeting.

“You need to stay calm Gregory, there’s nothing to stress over.”

“Nothing to stress over?” Gregory asked. His voice was still low and Mycroft deduced he was quickly approaching ‘pissed off’ status.

Mycroft hummed an agreeable noise, rubbing his face across the short dusting of chest hair Greg was blessed with, biting lightly on the pec nearest him. “Honestly Gregory nothing happened.”

“Nothing happened Myc? You didn’t see your face. This isn’t on. I swear they’re fucking animals. I was clearly with a child. What was he going to do, jump out while I was playing with Mina and demand answers? What was he even wanting, do you know?” 

Mycroft gave up his campaign of distraction and turned his head so he could see Greg more clearly.

“It was about the latest raid.”

“Fucking politicians,” Greg muttered under his breath. Greg’s team had uncovered a link between two serving Members of Parliament and the arrests had been made a week ago. “I’m sorry love.” Greg said scrubbing his hands over his eyes.

“Gregory look at me.” Mycroft pulled at one of Greg’s arms until it fell away from his eyes. “You have nothing to apologise for. We both serve the public, you just do it more publically than I. Believe me, the men I deal with would have far fewer scruples about approaching me with a child. This photographer, Danny, he kept a distance at least and he went away with nothing. He doesn’t know who the child is you were playing with. Assumed it was your niece or a family friend, I imagine. They know you don’t have children.”

Greg didn’t respond verbally but started tracing the bones of Mycroft shoulder instead. It was calming and after a while Mycroft could feel himself drifting toward sleep.

“You can’t sleep there Myc.”

Mycroft grumbled, spreading himself out like the starfish they had seen today so he formed a rather unconventional blanket over Greg.

“Seriously, you’re going to complain in the morning love.”

“Unlikely,” Mycroft muttered and Greg chuckled.

“At least come and use a real pillow love, your neck will thank me in the morning.”

Mycroft consented to being manhandled and cuddled into place against Greg’s left side. He could sense Greg’s unwillingness to sleep without lifting his head.

“Close your eyes Gregory.”

“Myc…” Greg complained.

“Do it.” Silence. “Have you done it?”

“You’re so like Sherlock sometimes,” Greg mumbled and Mycroft chuckled. Relaxed as he was, his natural ‘Holmesiness’, as Greg had dubbed it, shone through. ”it’s a good thing I don’t mind you being bossy in bed love,” he had muttered in Mycroft’s ear over Christmas eve drinks.

“My eyes are closed.”

“Good, now count your breaths.”

“What?” Greg asked amused.

“Or mine if you prefer, but do it.”

“Alright,” Greg agreed and Mycroft could feel him tapping out a count on Mycroft’s own shoulder. It didn’t bother him. He let them float in counting their breaths until the tapping petered out. He cracked his eyes open and sure enough Greg had fallen fast asleep, his mouth slightly open, and Mycroft couldn’t resist planting a small kiss at the corner.

“Sleep well Gregory.”


End file.
